End connection for vehicle springs



April 5, 19329 Jv w LEIGHTON END CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE SPRINGS Filed Sept. 3, 1951 2 Sheets-$heet fnver fan J lh Wydi/fc fiery/Jam April 5, 1932. j w LEIGHTQN 1,852,319

END CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE SPRINGS Filed Sept. 3, 1931 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I w H H A 1\-W 9 15 Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN WYCLII'I'E LEIGH'I'ON, 01' P031 HURON, MICHIGAN m CONNECTION FOB VEHICLE SPRINGS Application lied September 8, 1931. Serial No. 560,895.

The principal objects of this invention are to devise a connection for the end of a vehicle s ring which will materially reduce the cost manufacture and assembl and will eflectively eliminate difliculties arising from side play and wear.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novel use ofa threaded bolt threaded into and extending between a pair of spaced members connected with either the 5 ring or the member to be supported by t e spring, said bolt being rigidly secured in the supporting member arranged between said spaced members and the threaded ends being rotatable in said spaced members.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view through a connection for the end of a spring, constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational viewof the form of the invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational part sectional view showing the clamping device forholding the bracket member during the insertion of the bolt.

Fi re 4 is-a view similar to Figure 1 showln a modification of thebolt member to faci itate its placement in position.

Figure 5 is an end view of the bolt.

Fi re 6 is a sectional view showing the application of the invention to a shackle structure.

In the device shown in Figures 1 to 4 a bracket member 1 is adapted to be secured to the vehicle frame, and extending from the sides thereof are a (pair of arms 2 preferably parallelly arrange and each of which is provided with an enlarged boss portion 3.

The bosses 3 are threaded and the external diameter of the threadis greater than the diameter of the bore 4 of the spring eye 5.

A bolt 6 is threaded from end to end with a thread which is a loose turnin fit in the thread in the bracket bosses. he central 40 portion of this bolt, equivalent to the length of the eye, is shown with the external diameter of the thread turned down so that it is appreciably less than thediameter of the full thread and so thatwhen the bolt has been inserted through the eye of the spring end, the spring endwill close in around the central portion and rip it securely and the bolt will then be half from turning and from accidentally moving out of the sprin eye.

One end of the bolt is =provi ed with an 5 extension 7 with fiat sides similar to a nut to enable the bolt to be turned and the other end 8 is preferably tapered to form a pilot.

The bolt is bored from end to "a point adjacent to the other to form a lubricant pas- 6 sage and branch assages 9and 10 extend therefrom to the t readed portions engaged by the boss ends of the arms. A suitable oil or grease connection 11 is attached to the open end of the bore of the bolt to keep it closed and to retain the lubricant therein.

The construction of the spring e e after the threaded end has been force therethrough is sufficient to firmly grip the central reduced ortion of the thread and prevents the bolt rom turning in the spring eye, but it may be found desirable-to more positively hold the bolt and this may be accomplished by the use of a set screw 12 inserted through and threaded in a hole in the spring eye and entering a recess 13in the bolt. V

In inserting the bolt in position in this form of the invention, it is preferable to use a clamp 14 as shown in Figure 3 which spans the outer ends of the bosses of the spaced arms 2 and is provided with spacer lugs 15 to extend between the inner faces of the arms and the spring eye 5 to hold the spring in its proper space relation equidistant between said arms.

The tapered end of the bolt is inserted into the threaded orifice in one of the arms and screwed thereinto until the taper surface 8 engages the inner perimeter of one end of the spring eye 5.

k The continued turning of the bolt forces the tapered end into the spring eye 5, spreadirg it open, and the bolt thus passes through said eye and then engages the threaded boss 3 of the other arm 2.

The bolt is turned until the taper end 8 projects through the o posite arm which a rings the reduced threa ed portion into register with the spring eye 5 and the natural inward constriction of the eye, which has been spread apart by the full diameter portion of the bolt, then grips the reduced part.

During this operation the clamp member 14 holds the arms 2 from spreading and the spacer members 15 hold the arms in definite spaced relation with the endsof the spring e es.

This clamp member 14 is removed after the bolt has been inserted in position in the manner described. The spring eye then grips the central part of the bolt and the bolt turns freely upon its threaded ends in-the bosses 3 of the arms 2. The lubricant inserted into the central bore of the bolt finds its way to the threaded bearing surfaces through the passages 9 and 10 and keeps them properly lubricated.

It may be found desirable not to expand the spring eye over the full diameter of the bolt thread and in Figures 4 and 5 the bolt is shown as formed with notches 15' in the cut its.

end which enables the bolt to part1 waymthrough the spring eye as it is orced in by ing turned.- The eye may of course be tapped m a separate operation, but it is prefera le to provide the bolt with a cutting end so that it will partly expand the spring eye and partly cut its way through and when through it will be seized and held tightly by the sprin eye so that it will not turn when in use. fly thus using the bolt as its own clearance tool the bolt will, when e'ntered, be in proper relation to its supports, that is to say, the threads of the side arms and of the spring eye will be continuous. In Figure 6 the invention is illustrated as applied to a shackle construction and the threaded bolts 16 and 17 are rigidly held in the frame lug 18 and spring end 19 while the shackles 20 are both rotatably mounted on the threaded ends of the bolts.

A spring connection such as described is extremely simple, it is very easily applied, it dispenses with numerous machining operations and it provides a bearing support which has a very extensive bearing surface, as the surfaces of the threads of the bolt engaging the threaded surfaces of the arms or shackles are practically double the length of the P homes.

The method of application is very simple and when the boltsare so secured the connecstion will operate indefinitely and with no appreciable wear. Further, the threaded surbeing held rigidly in the eye member will, by

reason of its threaded contact with the arms, hold them securely in their spaced relation.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In an end connection for vehicle sprin the combination with an eye member 0 a air of arms spaced from the ends of said eye and having threaded orifices aligned with said eye and a threaded bolt extendin throu h and secured in a fixed position in sa1deye and havin its threaded ends rotatably engaging the t aded orifices in said arms andolding said arms free from surface contact at the side.

2. In an end connection for vehicle sprin the combination with an eye member, 0 a pair of arms arranged one at either end of said eye and spaced therefrom and each having a threaded orifice aligned with the bore of the e e, and a bolt threaded from end to end and frictionally enga ed about its central portion by said eye an havin the threade portions extending beyond th ends of the eye rotatably threaded in the threaded orifices of said arms and supporting same free from contact with said eye.

3. In an end connection for vehicle springs, the combination with the eye end of a member of a pair of arms spaced either side of said spring eye and having aligned threaded orifices arran ed in alignment with the orifice throu h the eye, a bolt threaded from end to en having its threaded end portions engaging the threaded orifices of the arms in rotative engagement and having a reduced central portion frictionally engaged by the springneye.

4. an end connection for vehicle spring, the combination with the eye end of e spring, of a pair of arms formed with internall threaded bosses spaced from the ends of t e eye end of the spring, a bolt threaded from end to end and engaging the threads of said bosses in loose turning contact and having the outside diameter of the central rtion slightly reduced to form a positionmg recess to receive the constricted eye end of the ring, the ends of the e e abuttm the sho ders at the ends of em a}; retaining the arms in spaced relation with the springnend.

5. an end connection for vehicle springs,

the combination with an eye member, of a pair of arms havin aligned threaded orifices arranged either slde of said eye, a bolt threa ed from end to end to engage the threaded orifices and having an end a apted to work its way through said eye, and means at the opposite end of said belt for turning same to force the end through the spring eye.

6. In an end connection for vehicle springs, the combination with the eye connection, of a pair of arms extending either side of said eye and having ali ned threaded orifices, a threaded bolt rotata 1y engaging the threaded orifices in said arms and frictionally engagin said eye connection, said bolt having a nut ormation at one end and a tap formation at the other end.

JOHN WYCLIFFE LEIGHTON. 

